Irish mother wants family together for first Christmas in 12 years

The Bennis children and grandchildren: Mammy whose all four children have emigrated to Australia on a mission to reunite family for Christmas.Facebook

A doting Irish mother, whose four adult children have all emigrated to Australia, is on a mission to reunite her whole family for Christmas for the first time in 12 years.

Janet and Eugene Bennis have just sold their Limerick home so they can move over permanently to Brisbane next year, where their grown-up children and four young grandchildren are all based.

But Janet, 53, a catering supervisor at the University of Limerick, said she's determined to make the couple's final Christmas in Ireland a memorable one by bringing her entire family home.

"I miss my children and grandchildren terribly and the thought of having another Christmas at home without them is just unbearable,” she said.

"It'll cost an absolute fortune to get them back, but I'm going to do everything I can to make it happen. I've started approaching a few businesses in Limerick to see if they can help me out,

"Three of my grandchildren have never been to Ireland and this is probably the last chance we'll ever have to celebrate Christmas together in Ireland as a family."

The couple, who have applied for permanent residency visas, are aiming to start their new life Down Under by next February.

Their children Jennifer, 30, a mother-of-two, father-of-two Eoin, 28, Claire, 25, and Cian, 24, are already planning a huge welcome party for their parents next year.

And although the couple won't have much spare cash once they've cleared their mortgage following the sale of the home they lived in for 28 years, they won't have to pay any rent once they move to Oz, as they'll be moving in with two of their kids, Eoin and Claire and their respective partners.

But Janet said, "I know we've only a few months to go till we move out there, but it's so important for me to get my kids back for Christmas. In the past I've found myself celebrating Christmas Day in May if one of my children was back from Australia and I want to have a proper celebration with them for once.

"Christmas, more than any other time of the year, is about family and for the last few years I've just felt like I've been existing. So this year I'm going to do everything I possibly can to try and get them all home.

"If anyone out there has any ideas or thinks they can help me out, I'd love to hear from them."

Janet has launched a Facebook page, called Christmas Miracle - Bring Janet and Eugene's Children Home. She can be contacted at [email protected]